Chapter 41

After taking a single aphrodisiac pill, Lu Zheng displayed his prowess, becoming invincible, and the night of passionate indulgence only came to an end at the fifth watch of the night.

During these few hours, Lu Zheng swallowed four pills. Although it was an overdose, he did not feel any physical discomfort; instead, he felt an unquenched excitement.

This made the already exhausted Lu Zheng inwardly marvel at the wonderful effects of the pills.

From then on, Lu Zheng became increasingly dependent on these pills, spending his days frequenting pleasure quarters and always carrying them with him.

People are always overly greedy. Although Lu Zheng knew that all medicines are somewhat toxic, he could not resist the temptation of the pleasure they brought, and thus he often indulged in them without restraint.

In just half a month, Lu Zheng, who was once a handsome young man, became a gaunt and listless figure. If one were to compare his current state with his former self, it was clear that he had deteriorated significantly in just half a month.

This was secondary; the main issue was that Lu Zheng seemed to have become addicted to the aphrodisiacs. If he did not take a few pills each day, he would feel restless, unable to sleep, and lose his appetite.

To avoid the torment of being without the pills, Lu Zheng found out from Meiqin the source of the pills. After much effort, he finally located the person who made these aphrodisiacs.

This person was named Qin Yue, a wandering Taoist who wore a robe of water and fire, giving him an air of a sage. When Lu Zheng found Qin Yue, he had not left Qingliu County but was staying at an inn in the city.

In the inn's main hall, Qin Yue was sitting in a corner, with a table set with one meat dish, three vegetable dishes, and two pots of wine. He was humming a tune and drinking leisurely.

At this moment, Lu Zheng rushed in, looked around, and finally spotted the unassuming Qin Yue in the corner.

He quickly approached, still maintaining his usual arrogance but unable to hide the urgency in his eyes.

"Are you Qin Yue?"

Qin Yue looked up, glanced at Lu Zheng, and then smiled and clasped his hands. "This poor Taoist is indeed. What can I do for you, sir?"

"Did you make the pills that the girls at Zui Chun Lou were hiding?" Lu Zheng, feeling a bit sore from standing, sat down opposite Qin Yue.

"Ha ha! So you're talking about the 'Maidenhair.' Yes, this poor Taoist made it!"

"So the pills are called 'Maidenhair'..."

Lu Zheng pondered the name, then recalled the wonderful effects of the pills and couldn't help but exclaim, "Indeed, the name fits the effect, marvelous!"

Qin Yue leaned in close to Lu Zheng, his face showing a lecherous smile. "Do you want to buy them in bulk?"

"Um, yes! What's the price?"

"Ah, the price... Since you are also a connoisseur, I'll give you a discount today. Ten taels of silver per pill! How many do you need?"

Qin Yue spoke casually, but Lu Zheng's face turned green with anger. He thought, "This is still a discount? This is clearly highway robbery."

Lu San, who was standing beside him, could not contain his anger and scolded, "Hey! You're really good at business, ten taels of silver per pill, more valuable than silver itself. Are you trying to rob us? Do you think I won't make you leave here horizontally today?"

Qin Yue laughed and leaned casually against the wall, saying with a sense of invincibility, "Sorry, this poor Taoist doesn't plan to leave today, disappointing you!"

"You!..."

Lu San wanted to say more but was interrupted by Lu Zheng, who then frowned and asked Qin Yue, "Taoist, can't you give a better price?"

"He he! Since you have taken Maidenhair, you should know its effects. As the saying goes, good medicine is hard to come by, and this elixir that brings you joy, I don't think ten taels per pill is too much..."

Lu Zheng was silent for a moment, but in the end, he could not resist the temptation of Maidenhair and bought fifty pills at ten taels each.

After receiving the pills from Qin Yue, he left without looking back.

Qin Yue watched Lu Zheng's departing figure, sighed, and stroked his beard. He looked at the five hundred taels of silver on the table and then continued drinking.

This was just the beginning. As Lu Zheng continued to take Maidenhair, the amount he needed increased significantly. The fifty pills ran out in less than ten days, and he had to buy another hundred from Qin Yue.

After several rounds, Lu Zheng had resorted to stealing valuable items from his home to sell. Initially, Lu Kun and his wife thought their son had caught a cold and invited a doctor to treat him.

However, to prevent his parents from knowing about his use of aphrodisiacs, Lu Zheng secretly bribed the doctor. So in the eyes of Lu Kun and his wife, their son was just weak from a cold.

It was only after multiple thefts in the house that Lu Kun and his wife noticed their son's strange behavior. After questioning him, they learned that he was addicted to aphrodisiacs.

When Lu Kun heard this, he was furious. He first tied Lu Zheng up at home and then sent the county constables to arrest Qin Yue, the seller of the aphrodisiacs.

However, when the constables arrived at the inn, Qin Yue had already disappeared. A city-wide search yielded no results, as if he had vanished into thin air.

Although Lu Kun was not too concerned about Qin Yue's escape, Qin Yue's disappearance almost cost his son his life.

Maidenhair was not like ordinary aphrodisiacs. Lu Zheng was now addicted, and his behavior was uncontrollable, like a wild beast.

Lu Kun and his wife were heartbroken to see their son in such a state. They invited all the doctors in the county, but they could only help Lu Zheng regain his strength and vitality. No one knew how to cure his addiction to the aphrodisiacs.

After scolding the doctors, Lu Kun hated Qin Yue, the maker of the aphrodisiacs, even more.

Not only had the aphrodisiacs taken away his wealth, but they had also caused his son endless suffering. If Qin Yue were in front of him now, he would tear him apart to vent his anger.

...

Qingliu County was named after the Qingliu River, which had a pass called Qingliu Pass upstream. The pass gate had inscriptions such as "Ancient Qingliu Pass" and "Key to Jinling."

Qingliu Pass was once a vital route for north-south traffic, known as the "Gateway to Nine Provinces," and was a strategic location for military conflicts. Now, the pass was long abandoned and rarely guarded.

At this moment, on a hill not far from the pass, Ye Yu looked at the scene and sighed inwardly.

A glimpse of the whole from a part, a drop of water reveals the ocean. If a pass in the heartland was so neglected, the front lines against the Jin army must be in even worse condition.

The current emperor, Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty, was one of the few capable rulers in the dynasty. Unfortunately, what could he do? The empire, already fragmented by his ancestors, could not be restored by him alone.

Moreover, the former emperor, Zhao Gou, still held power, and as a filial son, Emperor Xiaozong could not escape his control.

At this moment, Ye Yu thought a lot. He inwardly criticized the saying, "Good people don't live long, but bad people live for a thousand years." Zhao Gou was incompetent in governance but skilled in self-preservation.

"Tell me, is what I did a bit excessive?" Ye Yu quietly asked Li Dàyǐn, Guo Xiaotian, and Qiū Lán, who were behind him.

Upon hearing this, Qiū Lán folded her hands at her waist, pouted, and said, "Master is always right. That rogue deserved it!"

Guo Xiaotian remained unusually silent, while Li Dàyǐn laughed heartily. "There's no right or wrong. That Lu family boy may seem pitiful now, but how did he behave in the past? Besides, the medicine you gave him won't kill him. Why worry about it?"

"Xiaotian, what do you think?" Ye Yu turned to Guo Xiaotian, who was silent.

Guo Xiaotian was taken aback for a moment, then said solemnly, "Right or wrong, I can't tell, but using the wealth from the Lu family to help the people, I think that's right!"

"Xiaotian, you always speak to the point!"

Ye Yu smiled lightly and then continued, "Lu Kun extorted the people's wealth, and it should be returned to the people. How could I, Ye Yu, keep such ill-gotten gains?"

Ye Yu's words made the three of them nod in agreement, especially Li Dàyǐn, who was deeply moved. He thought, "I'm almost thirty, yet my mindset is not as mature as Ye Yu's."

However, a question had been nagging Li Dàyǐn, so he asked, "Brother Ye, I've used Maidenhair before, but it wasn't this potent. Why, after you refined it, does it make people addicted? Could it be related to the flowers you asked for from Yushan?"

Mentioning the aphrodisiac made Qiū Lán blush, but she turned around to avoid the others, not leaving out of embarrassment. Out of curiosity, she wanted to know what Master had done to the aphrodisiac.

"The flowers on the back of Yushan are called poppies. They can save lives or cause harm! If used in medicine, they can heal, but if used to harm, a small amount can be treated, but a large amount is incurable. You've seen what Lu Zheng is like now..."

During his stay at Yushan, Ye Yu had not forgotten his plan to deal with Lu Kun.

While Li Dàyǐn showed him the beauty of Yushan, Ye Yu discovered a field of poppies on the back of the mountain. This discovery led to a plan to deal with Lu Kun.

Poppies are annual herbs, the main source of opium, and their extracts are the source of various sedatives.

During the Tang Dynasty, poppy seeds were brought to Central China by Arab merchants, and some areas began to cultivate them. However, at that time, poppy cultivation was purely for ornamental and medicinal purposes, not for drug use.

Ye Yu did not know why there were poppies on Yushan, but since Li Dàyǐn and his sister seemed unaware of their uses, he took many poppies with him when he left.